Captain Of Bulk Carrier Detained and Imprisoned

The Chinese Captain of bulk carrier EVER JUDGER was detained, he’s facing a trial and long-term imprisonment for rupturing oil pipe due to his alleged negligence. On Mar 31 ruptured pipe line caused massive oil spill and fire, 5 people died. According to official statements of Indonesian authorities, he didn’t obey pilot’s advise and drop anchor in dangerous vicinity of pipe line. Recently, other evidences were found, such as scratch marks on anchor, allegedly made by pipe line.
The problem is, one can’t be sure either in Chinese Captain’s proper diligence and innocence, or in Indonesian authorities allegations, equally, I’d say. There’s nothing Indonesian authorities would love more, than laying all the blame with the ship and ship’s Captain – such an outcome will save their face and cover all major accident’s costs. Indonesia in this case, isn’t an impartial party, on the contrary – it’s a party, which is deeply interested in one and only one result of ongoing investigation, proving Captain’s guilt.

Let’s go to the other side of the world and look at Saudi Arabia.
“Saudis say 19 oil ships are held hostage off Yemen. Not true, say maritime experts. The sea lanes approaching Hodeidah are controlled — and frequently blocked — by a Saudi-led coalition of countries opposed to the Houthis. The Saudi blockade has been blamed for famine conditions so dire that international aid organizations, human rights groups and even the Trump administration have urged the Saudi-led coalition to ease its blockade of Hodeidah.”

I didn’t publish news on those 19 ships detention, because the news source was Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia can’t be trusted in anything it says, at least when it concerns Yemen and Houthis. I ignored these news, finding them not trustworthy, probably pure, 100%, fake.

Same goes with that Saudi tanker alleged attack on Apr 3 off Hudaida, I have great doubts that such an attack took place at all, and if attack was genuine, who fired that rocket. Saudi’s indignant yells accusing Houthis in attempts to disrupt Saudi oil exports make Saudi Arabia look more suspicious in staging that attack, than anything else – because that attack led to oil price jump. As for terrorism threat, everybody nowadays fights terrorism. Terrorists themselves and their supporters are also actively fighting terrorism, nobody understands any more who’s fighting what, when it comes to terrorism.

In too many accidents littoral State is part of a conflict in future claims or disputes, and the State – any State – can’t be trusted. Global shipping has no instruments, no mechanisms, and in the majority of the cases, no hope, for an objective, impartial investigation and trial.